We’re back in action again tonight, with our NFL Division One Round 3 match against Cavan throwing in at MacHale at 7pm. Anthony Nolan of Wicklow is the ref for this one.
We’ve made the perfect start so far to this League campaign. Two wins from two starts mean we go into tonight’s game on top of the Division One table, with fears of relegation already receding and idle thoughts starting to stir about more lofty achievements this spring.
Cavan, by contrast, come to Castlebar this evening seeking their first League points of the year. Two defeats – both narrow ones – leave them with significant worries about the drop and they know all too well that those concerns will be amplified if they lose this evening as well.
That makes the Breffni men dangerous opponents tonight. They’re sure to deploy the kind of deep-lying defensive formation we find hard to break down – especially in the tight confines of MacHale Park – and so we could easily get sucked into a dour struggle for supremacy.
It’s important we retain the focus that has helped us get the two wins we have under our belts this year. Despite the tough going two weeks ago against Roscommon we never panicked and gradually took control the longer the match went on. Last Sunday up in Omagh we were patient for the first twenty minutes and then, when Tyrone, slackened off a bit, we moved in quickly for the kill.
If we operate tonight with the same kind of high tempo – a style James Horan always seeks in the teams he sends out to play – this should mean that we’ll ask serious questions of Cavan. The quicker we get at them and start to open them up, the better. A good start for us will force them out of their defensive shell, at which point further chances should appear for us.
We’re favourites to win tonight and win we should. But League football remains a great leveller: last Sunday proved this with our unexpected win over strong favourites Tyrone. We shouldn’t forget either that the last time a winless Cavan came to town – two years ago – they left MacHale Park with the spoils, despite the fact that we enjoyed a positive start that day.
So, the less we think about where we are in the table and what possibilities a win tonight might create for us, the greater it’ll help to keep our focus firmly on the task in hand. Which is a simple one – stay tuned in and drive on to another win. If we manage that, what may or may not come after for us will look after itself.
I’m hitting the road west in a bit and looking forward to being in MacHale Park this evening. If you’re on the road yourself today, take it handy and make sure you make it to Castlebar in one piece and in plenty of time to get a good seat for what promises to be another tough League fixture.
Here’s to continuing this positive start to the year, here’s to driving on and getting another win under our belts. Winning is a habit so let’s keep this winning feeling going. Up Mayo.
Best of luck to the team and management tonight. I cant make it but why is both RTE & Eirsports 1 both showing the Dublin v Kerry game live and then eirsports 1 showing deferred coverage of Mayo v Cavan game after. During the week eirsports 2 was schedule to show Mayo game live but then I saw last night it had changed.
@ForTheLoveOfMayo, my Eir Sport 2 schedule is still showing the game live, that’s on the app though, not near the sky box to check…
Can we all get behind team from minute they run out on the field, when team being announced and all way through game. It is vital we push back against any negativity against our players. Proud of them all. Mayo Abu.
ForTheLoveOfMayo.
If its Sky your watching it through then it’s the SD channel which is 871
Best of luck this evening,safe travelling to all,should be easy enough,Mayo by eight
Best wishes to Mathew Fionn Michael Colm Evan Ger and all the Mayo team and mentors. Get behind the team Mayo by 2 with a bit of luck.
Best of luck to all the new players this evening. Looking forward to seeing Ruane at midfield. Very positive about this one. Mayo by 5 or 6.
Looking forward to the game tonight now and a good crowd in McHale Park.
Would love to see Ruane lad put his roots down for this team, I believe he has a lot of what we are looking for.
A neat performance, a tidy win and a clean bill of health…….sure what more could we ask for.
Up Mayo.
What a win tonight and offers is the chance to go into croke Park in two weeks with only a very, very slim chance of us skipping to division 2. That’s a good prize at this time of year. Hopefully we do the business. No value in backing Mayo at all tonight. We were 9/4 last week and 1/4 tonight! I hope the bookies are right this time!
The crowd need to play their part this evening aswell. Itll lightly be a tough low scoring game with Mayo needing to be patient and retain possession until we engineer a shot. Hopefully no groaning from the stand. Lets have it like v Derry in 16 and v Fermanagh in 17 and less like v Galway in May. Support means support!
Hopefully we will get a Win and be able to relax and enjoy the rest of the league In the knowledge we can’t be relegated. Best of luck to our neighbours Easkey today
In the junior all ireland club final against Beaufort in Kerry it would be nice to see them bring home the cup
But as we know here in Mayo finals against teams from Kerry in Croke Park are not easily won but best of luck to them I believe they are the first sligo club team to make it to an All Ireland final. Anyway hon Mayo this evening
No Hennelly in programme
The Mayo subs for tonight according to the program.
Michael Schlingermann
Caolan Crowe
David Drake
James McCormack
Eoin O’Donoghue
Donal Vaughan
Kevin McLoughlin
Fergal Boland
Ciaran Treacy
Darren Coen
Brian Reape
Good subs
Cavan to edge it by 2. Best of luck to our lads.
It’s live on Eir sport 2 now.
Lucky enough to be 3 ahead at HT. Another ref could have given a free out for that goal. I’d still expect Mayo to kick on 2nd half and have the better bench
Now where the facebook merchants!!? Well played Ger Caff, well played.
Good win great show from Ger,kickouts not great but they are a credit to the county,the Dubs have lost so we could easily win the league,up Mayo
Totally agree Tubberman! Well done Ger Caff. Delighted for him. Aido brilliant. Great to get the win. What a night it will be in 2 weeks time in Croke Park.
Well done Joint top with the yerras Not bad after 3 games Dubs will be gunning for next day out
Solid performance, Caff deserves all the praise he gets, specially after all the shite talk he gets, he was brilliant.
Corick Bridge, no we can’t easily win the league, 4 games left with a final after that.
well done Mayo who got man of the match caff had great game he put his critics into their box anyway
Brilliant Ger
Caitlin, Eir analysts gave it to Caff.
Congrats to Ger Cafferkey on his man of the match award. Job well done by the team although we could have won by more. That said no late goal or flurry of points that reeled us back in which has happened a bit more than one might like of late. Lots of positives to take from our league campaign so far.
Take a bow Ger Cafferkey. Couldn’t happen to a nicer fellow
Good win. Nice not to be hanging on in injury time which happened a lot the last few years. Super game from Caff, stuck it to the naysayers.
Dublin losing isn’t good for us unfortunately. They’ll be flying it in 2 weeks to make up the lost points.
Delighted for Caff, Aido,Keith,Andy and Fionn mcdonagh very good aswell.Reape got a cracker when he came in
Umpires need to go to Specsavers. Mcloughlins free at end was definitely over and coens shot too snuck inside. I was behind goal on stand side so perfect position.
Overall a patch performance. Solid defensively but we kicked a tonne of possession away. Sloppy.
Cavan were brutal
Mayo win dubs beaten……..enjoy the night folks!!
If Carlsberg made dreams – Dublin in relegation battle.
The phrase ” workman like” appears to be entering the lexicon, that being said it was workman like. A great win, We are as good as safe, Two options have now opened up, go and win the thing now or blood even more players. Both good options. Very pleased with this new Horan era. I loved the work Diarmuid o Connor did this evening. He is a great player
2 losses from 3 for the Dubs is this the start of their fall from grace ? 🙂 On a serious note does anyone know the last time they had such a bad start ?
On ourselves to night it’s hard not to be impressed .Ger Caff well deserved motm .I think he won nearly all the ball that was driven in his way .Coen to was strong .Ruane got on a lot of ball in first half .Im enjoying our attacking it’s a lot more direct lads taken on shots to night that maybe last year would have recycled back again and again .3 from 3 young lads getting game time what more can we ask for?
If Carlsberg made dreams – Dublin in a relegation battle 🙂
Out of curiosity …what ever happened to James Carr??
It was great to see Ger Caff putting in a performance like that, he has had some middling days in the office since his bad injury, but tonight he showed how he got those two all stars. Hopefully he is back to his ways
We are in a great position to win the league,Dublin are not trying, we should not fear any team,up Mayo
Also any update on Parsons?
I’m on of Ger Caffs biggest critics but credit where credit is due he was magnificent tonight fair play to him. Evan Regan tho now that’s a different story
Three wins on the trot and Ger Caff winning MOTM..I mean would we really have predicted these occurences a month ago??! Considering the barrage of abuse he has received over the years Im.delighted for him..Really hope his form becomes consistent..Backdoorsam..agreed.
Kerry looked very hungry and determined tonight. But Dublin are always likely to whittle it back… great game. Delighted with Mayo win… sadly I don’t have eir but just happy we’re doing so well. Fair play to the lads and JH…he does something for the confidence!
Yes Dublin will be chomping to win but it’s an opportunity for a new look Mayo team to lay down their own marker and let them know we’re not gone away. Great to see our young bucks impressing and the more seasoned lads showing how to do it. Keep the heart Mayo. Mighty Mayo ?
Take a bow Ger Caf. Delighted for you
Anyone know where Conor Diskin and Colm Boyle were 2nite? We are goin to need there aggression against the Dubs in Croker in 2 weeks time. Thought Ger Caff did really well some regulars on here are going to very quite 2nite, Clarkies kickouts were very poor 2nite to many of them went too high and were 50/50 balls and his short ones got us into trouble too, I feel Horan will have no option but to call on Hennelly for the Dubs as kickouts will be vital if we are to beat them.
Next 2 weeks are huge for Horan and Mayo to lay down a marker in Croker.
MY TEAM for Dublin would be
1.Robbie Hennelly
2.Brendan Harrison on Cormac Costello
3.Lee Keegan on Paul Mannion
4.Keith Higgins on Dean Rock
5.Colm Boyle on Brian Howard
6.Michael Plunkett on Con O’Callaghan
7.Paddy Durcan on Niall Scully
8.Diarmuid O’Connor on Brian Fenton
9.Donal Vaughan on Micahel Dara or Brian Gavin
10.Fionn McDonagh
11.Aidan O’Shea
12.Kevin McLoughlin
13.Conor Diskin
14.Brian Reape
15.Jason Doherty
Andy Moran would be better coming on when games opens up in the 2nd half
Goodman Ger. Left me scratching me head plenty of times and here he is with a MOTM performance from mostly outta nowhere.
Maybe his best is yet to come? I hope so.
This blog is not about the dubs. Its about our great team Probably contradicting myself now but was hoping they would win or draw v Kerry. Anyway we are top of league and that’s great. Dubs Kerry, Mourinho style Galway and Monaghan await All difficult tasks so 3 from 3 is fantastic. Maigh Eo abu